FEATURE:
Warm and Soothing
IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush in a promotional photo for The Sensual World in 1989/PHOTO CREDIT: Guido Harari
Dipping Into the Kate Bush Archive
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THIS feature is more than a…
IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush during filming for The Line, The Cross and the Curve in 1993/PHOTO CREDIT: Guido Harari
general recommendation of Kate Bush. I know I have sort of covered this before but, as we are still technically in lockdown and things are not back to normal, one of the most soothing things one can do is to take a trawl through the Kate Bush archives! Not only is her music there for all to enjoy, but there are so many great interviews and clips that have not really been shown or people are aware of. This sort of all comes back to my question as to whether a new documentary should be released. I have campaigned quite a bit because, as Bush’s music continues to find new fans and is beloved now as it was years ago, there are going to be people who want something completer and more comprehensive than has been released already. I know there have been a few documentaries through the years but, as I have been looking for distraction and something to ease anxieties, I have been looking online, and there are so many wonderful interviews and archive material relating to Kate Bush. I think, in other documentaries, this aspect has not been mined a lot. Even the most ardent and committed Kate Bush fan might not be aware of what is out there. Whether it is a simply sensational performance of James and the Cold Gun during 1979’s The Tour of Life, or Bush discussing her excellent track, Hammer Horror, on Australian T.V. in 1978, there is so much wonderful audio and video that deserves to be seen more widely!
I think it is the manner in which Bush conducts herself and that calming speaking voice…one can get lost in a wormhole of Bush-related goodness! I think it is great that her exists on streaming sites and online, but it is hard to discover it all and find these treats. A lot of people might just search for Bush’s music, and they would be unaware of just what is on offer. I do love the videos themselves, but I am fascinated when Bush discusses her songs and gives us that sense of revelation and explanation. In this video, for example, she is asked about her song, Breathing, from 1980’s Never for Ever and whether it’s anti-war messages are something she genuinely believes in and is passionate about, or whether it was more of a cynical commercial move. This is a clip I had not discovered until last week, and I have not seen it in any documentary. Not only is one awed by the way Bush speaks and how she can address quite a big question with grace and intelligence…there is some great information that fans would love to see in a larger piece. Sadly, a lot of great video through the year has been lost through the years, and there is audio of interviews that was on YouTube last year that has since disappeared. This year, as I repeatedly say, is one where three of her albums celebrate big anniversaries – Never for Ever, and Hounds of Love (September), and Aerial (November).
I think, now more than at any time, Bush’s music is giving people strength and warmth at a moment in history that is very precarious and unpredictable. Let’s hope that, when we are through the worst of this, there are concerted efforts to produce a more authoritative and wider-ranging series relating to Kate Bush. Some might say that sticking to the essentials are all that people want to see – a bit about all her albums and a few interviews with choice guests etc. Having looked at a pretty good documentary (part two is here) that is on YouTube, there is definite scope to accumulate this with as much other great material that is out there. Of course, there are so many videos and clips that it would be impossible to put them all into a documentary, but treats like this Dutch interview, and Bush appearing on Razzamatazz in the 1980s is a real joy! Circling back to my feature’s headline and the point of all of this: spending some time searching from the online archives and watching these great interviews and performances can really be a tonic. One need not necessarily be a massive Kate Bush fan in order to feel the real benefits. I know there is a great news website that keeps you abreast of all the latest happenings relating to Kate Bush, and the podcast digs deep into various aspects of her career.
Like Radiohead, I wonder whether there will be a website soon that collates all the video and audio out there into a library. At the moment, one can get a lot of good information from a few different websites, but one has to spend a long time trawling and navigating so many search results to find information. A more comprehensive archive would be easy enough to start, and there is a treasure trove of data, articles, videos, and audio that would be a delight for fans. I am aware I have slightly gone off-piste concerning the start of this feature, but I have been discovering so much I was not conscious of before, and it amazes me that this has not been incorporated into some form of show or radio programmes. Also, as I said, dragging everything into a website that was easy to navigate would be a terrific idea. Maybe people are working on those ideas, but I wanted to write about the power Kate Bush’s music and words have. Whether you are listening to an album or listening to her speak, she exudes this beauty and tone that can ease personal turbulence and, if one is stressed or in need of calm, then I would urge you to dig as much Kate Bush as possible. This is pretty brief for me, but I wanted to put out a few videos and bits that people might not have seen which, in turn, might encourage people to keep going and discover more treats. Over a particularly hard week, I have been lifted and lightened by various videos and bits of audio – there has almost been this therapeutic effect! Through her music, videos, interviews and performances, Kate Bush gives so much to us all and, truly, this is…
WHY one cannot help but love her.